Why Better Products Don't Always Win
You may have superior technology or a great feature set, but if your product doesn't create value for the customer, its chance of success is slim. Read story
HERDING GAZELLES 
Karl Stark and Bill Stewart
4-Step Formula for Guaranteed Success
This amazingly simple formula drives virtually every successful business. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs and investors lose sight of these basic principles. Read story
3 Ways to Tap Into Your Customers' Network
Connecting with customers is critical to business growth. Here's how you can develop stronger bonds that benefit both sides. Read story
Why Large Corporations Envy You
Start-ups and small business have four important advantages over corporate giants. Read story
When Core Values & New Ideas Collide
What do you do when ideas from new leadership don't mesh with the core values of the company's founders? Read story
Innovation Killer: A Satisfied Culture
Don't let innovation stagnate just because profits are growing. Here are three ways to keep the new ideas flowing throughout your business. Read story
When a Strategic Acquisition Makes Sense
We’re considering buying a small firm to build on our organic growth strategy. But the prospect scares the daylights out of us. Read story
Why Introverts Should Partner With Extroverts
Building business relationships that last requires a diverse set of skills. Our authors, Karl and Bill, describe how they built their Inc. 500 company by pla... Read story
Turn Your Company Into an Innovation Incubator
You've built a team of top-notch employees, but can you make them think like entrepreneurs? Here's how to create a source of profitable business ventures tha... Read story
Networking for Introverts: 3 Tips for Success
An unwillingness to invest time in building professional relationships can limit your career. Here are some ways to reduce the stress of developing a robust ... Read story
Every Innovative Dream Team Needs These
The three types of people that are necessary for any team tasked with innovation. Read story
The Cure for Rose-Colored Glasses Syndrome
Entrepreneurs are often incurable optimists. But if your optimism is clouding your vision, small problems can turn into business-threatening issues. Read story
When It's Time to Throw Out Your Business Plan
Successfully growing your business requires regular questioning of the key elements of your plan. Here are five tips for keeping your business model fresh. Read story
What You Can Learn from a Deal Gone Bad
By taking the time to reflect on why you lost a customer or failed to close a sale, you'll find ways to improve on the next one. Read story
Big Company Bureaucracy: 4 Ways to Cut Through It
When working with or within a large organization, it's important to keep it simple and stay focused on the goal so you don't get consumed by bureaucracy. Read story
Can You Be a Business-Minded Environmentalist?
How one VP turned his passion for environmentalism into new business opportunities. Read story
3 Strategies to Adopt From Apple
These three product strategies you can lift from Apple's playbook and incorporate into your growing business. Read story
Last Question Before You Jump
Be honest. Are you confident that the market for your new business is attractive and the capabilities you bring will be unique? Read story
Epic Fail: 3 Ways to Come Back Stronger
Failure is part of risk-taking for any growing business. It’s what you learn from those missteps, however, that determine future success. Read story
3 Rules for Building Business Relationships
Are you generating the most value from your professional relationships? Here are three ways to quickly inject some life into your network. Read story
Partner or Not: How to Decide
Bringing in partners to help launch a new business is the ultimate risk and reward proposition. These questions will help to ensure that the relationship is ... Read story
Project 101: Don’t Fumble Your Pass
Every new business initiative needs a champion--someone who takes responsibility for driving its success forward. But be careful how you assign that accounta... Read story
Prepare Your Exit Strategy Now – Just in Case
Here are four things you can do now to increase the value of your business-and give you a smoother transition out when the time is right. Read story
Who Are Your 'Pilot' Customers?
Before investing heavily in a new line of business, it’s important to identify customers who can help you learn quickly about what works and what needs twe... Read story
You Were the Founder. Now What Are You?
As a business grows, the founder’s job description will inevitably change. Here are seven roles a founder can transition into to ensure continued success. Read story
How to Capitalize on Your Lack of Focus
Lack of focus can be a core competency. Here are six principles to encourage innovative thinking, lots of experimentation, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Read story
4 Steps to Closing the Deal
Do you have a high-stakes RFP? If so, it’s important to follow a systematic approach to identify how you can best add value for your customer. Read story
Are You Wasting Your Interns?
You may be surprised by the value that an intern can provide to your business's growth strategy. Read story
Selling Your Product at a Loss Can Be Good for Business
Killing an unprofitable product isn’t always the best path. Here are four scenarios where sustaining a poor performer can help the business grow. Read story
3 Ways to Reignite Innovation in Your Business
If your growth has stalled, encouraging innovation on the front line will make all the difference. Read story
Do You Really Need an Outside Investor?
Before soliciting external sources of funding, ask these four questions to ensure that you’re well prepared for the changes ahead. Read story
6 Steps to Building a Better Business Case
Whether you’re pitching a product, an investment, or an idea, these questions will help you seal the deal without any fancy sales pitches or techniques. Read story
How Robust Is Your Customer Pipeline?
A formulaic approach to building a prospect list will help you decide quickly whether a new business has enough potential for growth. Read story
Think Your Business Is Big Enough? Think Again
We struggle every day with the ever-present need to get bigger, then get bigger again, in order to meet our objectives and create a sustainable business. Read story
Want to Start a New Line of Business? Next Steps
Determining the right path for a new business or market begins with a precise examination and prioritization of the target customer. Read story
3 Fundamentals of Building a Great Business
Whether you’re launching a start-up or looking to grow a mature business, you won’t get very far unless you stick to these basics. Read story
In Search of Sustainable Growth
Previous growth is no indicator of continued success. So Karl heads to Inc.’s GrowCo conference looking for new ideas. Read story
Why You’ve Got to Stay Thirsty for Growth
Why we all need to satisfy the thirst to growth, and you should never allow that thirst to be quenched. Read story
Stop Contractors from Stealing Your Customers
Companies that provide most of their value through independent contractors are always at risk. Here’s how to create a model that's win-win for the business... Read story
What to Do When Relationships Sour
Business relationships can sometimes turn bad. Here’s how to protect your business from a bad breakup. Read story
